Refrigerator



July 28, 1936. a. J. REICHE RT 2,048,392

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 60196 J 1762erZ .tlomey y 8, 1936 e. .1. REICHERT 2,048,892

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 680 8 JBem/L6,;

flllomey v Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT- oFFicE "2Claims.

My invention relates generally to refrigerators, and particularly tomeans usable with electrical and similarly operated mechanical orchemical refrigerators for retaining and enhancing the moisture contentof foods and the like refrigerated therein, and an important object ofthe invention is to provide means of the character indi' It is also animportant object of my invention to provide a device of the characterindicated which includes means separating and isolating portions of theinterior of the refrigerator so as to produce, for instance, an uppercompartment containing the refrigerating coils, and a lower compartmentcontaining the storage space for the articles to be refrigerated, inthis way providing for a much smaller compartment immediatelysurrounding the refrigerating coils or the like so that the timerequired for producing a sufficient degree of cold therein is reducedand loss of cold therefrom minimized.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide means in arefrigerator of the character indicated for producing and maintaining awet or humid cold condition in the provision receiving compartment ofthe refrigerator which will not dry out vegetables and the like, so thatthese may be kept in the refrigerating compartment for many hours longerthan usual and without covering of any kind.

Other objects and advantages of my invention 40 will be apparent from areading of the following description in connection with the drawings,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodimentof my invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is an elevational transverse sectional view through arefrigerator showing the invention installed therein.

gifgure 2 is a top plan view of the humidifying sh Figure 3 is anelevational view of the back of the shelf.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the shelf.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 refers generally to amechanical or chemical refrigerator such as an electrical or gasrefrigerator which has the main door 6 in its front closing acorresponding opening therein exposing the cooling coil I in the upperpart .of the interior of the refrigerator which is usually exposed tothe 5 remainder of the interior of the refrigerator which containsshelves 8 on which the articles to be refrigerated are placed andstored. The structure thus far described is conventional and forms noinventive contribution on my part, but I use 10 and combine thisconventional structure and arrangement and the equivalents thereof intoa new and more advantageously productive unit as will appear below.

According to my invention I place relatively it slightly spaced belowthe cooling coil I the'humidifying shelf which is generally designated9. This shelf isso arranged that it engages the back and the oppositesides of the interior of the refrigerator and engages also the door'iiwhen the 20 door is closed so as to hermetically seal the resultantupper compartment in from the resultant lower compartment ll.

The shelf comprises a fiat preferably copper sheet metal tank l2 whichhas on its peripheral 25 edges relatively spongy and resilientinsulating and sealing material i3 which engages the back and the sidesof the interior of the refrigerator sufliciently closely and tightly toprevent any circulation .of air from the compartment l0 into 30 thecompartment Ii or vice versa. The rubber' or similar material l3 on thefront end of the tank I2 is arranged to be engaged by the door -6 whenthe door is in the closed position to similarly seal this end of thetank so as to prevent 35 exchange of air-between the compartments l0 andII.

Near the back of the bottom of the tank I2, I provide a series oflongitudinally and transversely aligned or otherwise suitably arrangedtubes i4 40 which communicate-at their upper ends as indicated at ISwith the interior of the tank I 2 and communicate at their lower endsthrough the top of a header i6. Radiating fins II are provided on thetubes ii to enhance the cold radiating effect of the tubes. I

Erom each end of the header l6 leads a circulating pipe l8, l9,respectively, which inclines toward the front of the tank and isconnected a filling opening 2| is provided in the top of the front partof the tank which is normally closed by a screw plug 22, therebyaffording easy access thereto'for fllling or replacing the fluid in theshelf.

The fluid contained in and circulated in the humidlfying shelf ispreferably alcohol, an approximately suitable amount of alcohol for anordinary domestic refrigerator being five quarts, although this quantitymay be varied for different makes and types and sizes of refrigerators.

It is obvious that the intense coldness more quickly reached in theupper compartment III directly affects the fluid in the humidifyingshelf so as to cool the same and cause a circulation thereof, so thatthe radiator composed of the tubes ll and the header I6 is caused toradiate and'produce in the lower compartment ll air which is humidified,of a more even temperature, and otherwise better suited to therefrigeration of and preservation of articles such as food articlesplaced for refrigeration and storage in the lower compartment ll.Because of the more ready and efficient transfer of cold from therefrigerating coil 1 to the articles in the compartment ll achieved byreason of the arrangement of the invention, less current or otherrefrigeration actuating medium is required for operating therefrigerator equipped according to the invention, and a shorter time isrequired for bringing the refrigerator to efficient temperature.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is'to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in materials and in structure and arrangement ofparts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a refrigerator having a cooling coil, a partitionbelow said coil and dividing the interior of the refrigerator into anupper coil compartment and a lower refrigerating compartment, saidcompartments being hermetically sealed from each other, said partitioncomprising a hollow metallic body containing a quantity of heat carryingcirculatory fluid, a radiator depending from said partition into theinterior of the lower refrigerating compartment, said radiator havingfluid passages communicating with the interior of said partition at oneend of the partition, conduits each connected at one end to separatedpoints of the lower part of said radiator, the opposite ends of the lastmentioned conduits communicating with spaced points of said partitionremote from said one end of the partition, said last-mentioned conduitsbeing inclined from said radiator to said partition.

2. A refrigerator comprising a closed'casing having a cooling coil inthe upper part of its interior, a hollow metallic supported shelf acrossthe interior of said casing below said coil and dividing the same intosealed upper and lower compartments, said hollow metallic shelf being inheat exchange relation to the upper compartment and to the lowercompartment and containing a quantity of heat carrying fluid capable ofcirculating therein as heat is absorbed by a portion thereof from thelower compartment, and means for increasing the rate of absorption bysaid fluid of heat from the lower compartment, said means comprising aradiator on and communicating with the interior of one end of saidshelf, said radiator depending into said lower compartment and havingfluid circulating conduits communicating with separated points of theinterior of said shelf.

GEORGE J. REICHERT.

